Soundclouds of the Underground: Rap Remix Edition

These days, music truly lives online, with an infinite number of websites dedicated to hosting tunes for the laptop-wielding masses. However, the web’s bottomless pit of blogs isn’t the only place to troll for mp3 treasures—some of the newest and most exciting (Internet-friendly) artists can be sought out via Soundcloud, the online stage that allows musicians to promote and distribute their music to fans and friends across the globe. In this weekly column, expert Internet sleuth Alex Chapman goes into the depths of the music-sharing site, in hopes of shedding light on emerging acts, as well as sharing some digital diamonds in the rough.

Lately we’ve seen a trend in the return of the remix, with hoards of hip-hoppers tackling their favorite beats. Nicki Minaj arguably brought the movement to new levels as of late with her takes on Young Thug’s “Danny Glover” and PTAF’s “Boss Ass Bitch,” a look that got the group a single deal with Capitol Records. This week we decided to take a peak at those artists who’ve followed suit, highlighting the most ear-catching amendments of today’s biggest rap hits.

Who: A Grammy-award winning songwriter whose past credits include work on Kanye West’s “Clique” and a Grammy-winning co-writing spot on Rihanna’s “No Love Allowed,” Eskeerdo already has proven his skills. But with songs like his debut single, the Miike Snow-featuring “Devil’s Work,” the rapper-writer shines with more than enough star-power to transition from behind the scenes to center stage.

The Song: On top of Drake’s epic “We Made It,” Eskeerdo flexes and finesses with funny punchlines:”Just won a Grammy/ you were nominated,” he jabs early on in the track, before going on to note the potential hazard sparklers may cause when one is surrounded by too many bottles in this club. We imagine this is an issue Eskeerdo will have to deal with more frequently in the future.

Current Project: Head to Eskeerdo’s site for more on the artist, plus a video for his track “Rappers.”

Who: Atlanta Rapper Reese (of collective Two-9) first began to gain attention for his mixtape DSNRTRAPN, an aggressive debut with plenty of hard rhymes and harder beats, as well as his notable collaborators like OJ Da Juiceman and Two-9’s Curtis Williams and producers Zaytoven, Jahili Beats, and Million Dollar Mano.

The Song: You can tell Reese means it when he mentions in the Soundcloud song description, “My favorite song…”—the rapper rips into the track, following the phrasing of Thug but piling on the intensity as the song progresses, branching off into different, equally impressive flows. By the track’s end you’re likely to be blown away—Reese’s rhymes are nothing to mess with.Current Project: Check out some of Reese’s other tracks via Soundcloud.

Who: Hardly underground but certainly equipped with a massive cult following, King Chip (formally known as Kid Cudi’s partner in crime Chip Tha Ripper) has received a ton of love for his smooth, smart rhymes and ability to tell a story—skills that have been displayed in mixtapes like the now-classic The Cleveland Show and 2012’s Tell Ya Friends.The Song: Another rapper drawn to the dazed, auto-tuned drawl of Young Thug, Chip takes on “Stoner,” an ode to a subject the rapper is most definitely familiar with. Chip, however, seems to focus more on women than weed. “I just saw your text, I had no reception for the last few days in Malibu,” he starts off, a humble brag that conducts charm and wit when coming from the nonchalant spitter.Current Project: Chip’s new mixtape 44108 is available now. Keep up with him otherwise via his Facebook page.

Soundclouds of the Underground runs every Thursday. For more, click here.